Michelle King: The powerful impact of hope, on 'Mormon Times TV'

Vickie Walker in her home in Salt Lake City on Feb. 12, 2011. Walker's husband, Jeffrey Walker, was one of five people killed by 18-year-old Suleiman Talovic when he opened fire Feb. 12, 2007, with a handgun and shotgun at Trolley Square.

Utah television viewers were shocked nearly six years ago when a young gunman opened fire on a pre-Valentines' crowd shopping at Salt Lake’s Trolley Square. I remember doing the newscast that evening — hardly believing something like that could happen in our city.

Then, when we started telling the personal stories of the families affected, it was almost too much. You had to wonder how those who lost family members could even go on after such tragedy.

That’s why I was so interested in meeting Vickie Walker. She lost her husband in the shootings, and her teenage son was severely injured. Not only did she make it through those dark days, but she also endured through other difficult circumstances that occurred afterward with an incredible attitude.

This Sunday on “Mormon Times TV,” we’ll find out how this inspiring woman was not only able to handle such despair and still move forward with hope, but also how she’s using her experiences to help other victims of crime.

And, in keeping with our theme of hope, you’ll see how another local woman relied on this infinite power to make it through her years'-long struggle with addiction. Her total turnaround is remarkable — but it also required forgiveness, hard work and time.

Plus author Gerald N. Lund, who served from 2002 to 2009 in the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will join us to talk about the reasons many of us lack hope, and why we need to learn to channel this power for our good.

The “Mormon Times TV" television show airs weekly on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. on KSL TV/Channel 5 following the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast. It can also be viewed online at mormontimestv.ksl.com, where you can see past episodes. You can check us out on YouTube at youtube.com/mormontimes, where it’s easier than ever to view and share inspiring stories from the show. And we invite you to follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/MormonTimesTV and join in the conversation. We’re always looking for uplifting, inspirational stories that involve people of the LDS faith. If you have some ideas you’d like to share with us, drop me an email at mking@ksl.com.

Michelle King is the host of "Mormon Times TV," which airs Sundays at 10 a.m. on KSL. Email: mking@ksl.com

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